Zambia Special Report - May 28, 2026

Country: Zambia

Source: Famine Early Warning System Network

Please refer to the attached file.

Executive Summary

Zambia is located in southern Africa and is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola (Figure 1), making it a key transit and trade hub in southern and central Africa. Zambia’s population is estimated to be between 21 and 22 million in 2025, with an annual growth rate of approximately 2.8 to 3.0 percent.

The topography features high plateaus, major rivers, and escarpments with an elevation suitable for settlement, rainfed farming, and livestock. Zambia’s agro-ecological regions and zones vary according to rainfall patterns and soil quality, and each region has different agricultural production potential that shapes livelihood opportunities.

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood and employment for about 55 percent of Zambia’s workforce, although it contributes a relatively smaller share to the GDP. Smallholder farmers rely on rainfed cropping and produce much of the domestic food supply. Large-scale commercial farming is concentrated in high-potential regions with production of cash crops for export and domestic industrial use. Maize is the dominant staple crop, and other significant food crops include cassava, sorghum, millet, and sugarcane. Major cash crops include cotton, tobacco, soybeans, and wheat. Mining is a central pillar of Zambia’s economy, contributing approximately 10-17 percent of the GDP. Copper and other mineral exports make up about 70 percent of total export earnings, making the sector the primary source of foreign exchange for the country.

Rural households primarily rely on own production of crops and livestock for food, supplemented by market purchases, while urban households are mainly market dependent. The main income sources for rural households are crop sales, livestock and livestock-product sales, agricultural labor, fishing, forest product sales, self-employment, and petty trade. In urban areas, income is primarily derived from informal employment, trade, construction and mining services, transport, and retail trade. Food purchases constitute the largest share of household expenditures, particularly for poor households in both urban and rural areas, while better-off households use a smaller share. Household expenditures also include productive inputs, transport, education, and household assets.

The main chronic and intermittent hazards affecting Zambia include drought, prolonged dry spells, localized flooding, crop pests, livestock diseases, wildlife damage in valley areas, and market shocks. The food security situation and prevalence of malnutrition are of low to moderate concern at the national level. However, there are notable regional variations, with the more concerning outcomes concentrated in the Western, Northwestern, and Southern provinces. Acute food insecurity is primarily driven by prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and high domestic food prices, which reduce households’ own production and drive increased need for market purchases amid constrained purchasing power. ...